Ian William Richardson, CBE (7 April 1934 – 9 February 2007) was a Scottish actor of film, stage and television. He portrayed the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards (1990–1995) television trilogy. Richardson was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor. Richardson's other notable work included a portrayal of Sherlock Holmes for the BBC, significant roles in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Brazil, and M. Butterfly, and as the lead in the Broadway production of Marat/Sade. Richardson was born in Edinburgh, the son of Margaret (née Drummond) and John Richardson. He was educated in the city, at Balgreen Primary School, Tynecastle High School and George Heriot's School. He first appeared on stage at the age of 14, in an amateur production of A Tale of Two Cities. The director encouraged his talent but warned that he would need to lose his Scottish accent to progress as an actor. His mother arranged elocution lessons, and he became a stage manager with the semi-professional Edinburgh People's Theatre. After National Service in the Army (part of which he spent as an announcer and drama director with the British Forces Broadcasting Service) he obtained a place at the College of Dramatic Arts in Glasgow. After a period at the Old Rep (also known as the Birmingham Repertory Theatre), he appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), of which he was a founding member, from 1960 to 1975.

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